Backfire
by Kroses20
Summary: Haymitch's Back Story. The story behind the mentor... The story of...when his life all went wrong. Some details from Catching Fire was changed here but mostly kept quite to the book. I don't own anything... This is all Suzzane Collin's characters.
1. Chapter 1

Backfire Part 1

Crunch...crunch...crunch...the pebbles went as I shifted my weight to my left leg. Sweat poured down my face as I trudged towards the cottage I called my home in the town. My arms ached excruciatingly. I carried chunks of wood in my arms as I limped for home. Long story short, I got the wood from the forest, and let's just say... That's not very...legal. Right then, my dark brown curls covered my eyes, disrupting my sight. I tried to blow them out of the way but they stuck to my skin, like glue to paper. I moaned as I tried to free up one hand but just made the pain from the exhaustion worst. I gently placed the logs of wood on the ground and wiped the matted hair away. Then I saw their pearl-white coats appear around the corner. Their vicious eyes stared straight at mine. Their lips parted and formed into a terrifying snarl.

"Get him." one of them barked. Peacekeepers. I grabbed as much wood as I could and ran for it. I took off at top speed, trying to lose them. I ran for dear life. I could feel their footsteps scrape across the rocky ground as they chased me at my heels. The footsteps grew louder and louder. My breath shortened as I rounded a corner. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder... This is it. I'll never get to see Mom ever again. I was dragged into a dark room. Pitch-black.

"If you're going to kill me... Please... Make it-" I couldn't finish my sentence. A soft hand was clamped over my mouth. Then I saw her. Her big green eyes. Her straight, copper hair. Her faint freckles that lined her cheeks. She held her finger to her lips. Be silent she was telling me...so silent I was. I heard their footsteps grow louder and louder.

"Where is he?" I heard one of them say. They inched closer to the door. Each footstep sending billions of shivers down my spine. I could hear the knob of something turn slowly. I slammed my eyes shut, hoping for the worst...

"He's over there!" a distant voice called. There was hesitation but they're footsteps led away, growing fainter and fainter in the distance. I exhaled. The girl released her grip on my lips and knelt beside me. She studied me curiously as I panted, trying to get breath into my lungs. The wood I was able to save tumbled out of my arms as I sat, crisscrossed on what felt like a wooden floor. She lit a candle and the whole room was illuminated. A wooden staircase, wooden ceiling, wooden walls... It was basically made out of different types of wood. I studied her more closely. She looked about 10, like I was. She wore a hooded black robe. Underneath, she had on a pink dress laced with a red ribbon at the center where her waist was.

"Um... A thank you would be nice." she encouraged as she crossed her arms and waited expectantly. I grinned.

"I guess... I kinda owe you my life." I replied sheepishly.

"And?" she insisted as she waved her hand to continue.

"And thanks." I finally admitted. She smiled widely at me as she plopped down to a crisscross position like how I was. She held out her hand.

"I'm Maysilee Donner. Mazy for short. What's yours?" she said. I took her hand and shook it gently.

"Haymitch. Haymitch Abernathy." Her grin grew impossibly wider. And so did mine.

I stared out the window, white with fog. I wiped the window with my hand and peeked out. White. A white blanket covered the grass. I could see my faded reflection. Old. Tired. Done was the man I saw there. His hair, matted and white. His blue exhausted eyes held so much misery. The permanent creases in his forehead. My breath reeked of alcohol. What do I care? It's not like I matter. I placed my hand against the cold glass. So did the man in the mirror. I slowly turned my head to the right, so did he. My eyes filled with tears. So did his. The memory. That memory. Of the first time I met her. It's been years. Decades since I last saw her. My fingers clasped at the window sill in frustration. I have nothing to live for. Nothing to live for. Then I saw the bracelet on my wrist. Beads of different shapes and colors hung onto a black piece of rope. I clutched the beads. Mazy.


	2. Chapter 2

Backfire part 2

All felt perfect in the world. My eyes remained shut as I listened to the whistle of the wind in the summer breeze. The long grass tickled my cheeks as I laughed carelessly at the pleasant delight. Today was a special day. I listened to my surroundings. The crunching of the leaves as a rabbit hops by. The humming of the insects in the soil. The slow breathing of my lungs as I inhale to the rhythm of the breeze. In…Out…In…Out…..Crunch…What was that? Crunch… My eyes were instantly wide open. Then I heard the knock. Tap, tap, tap…tap, tap. I grinned.

"Why…Someone's late…" I exclaimed. A hearty laugh erupted from the intruder.

"Wow…No hi or hello or any kind of greeting at all? Should have known coming from you…" she joked as she plopped down next to me. I could feel the warmth radiating from her being. About the knock, you see, we made up a series of different knocks to coordinate with different words. What she just tapped out meant, "It's Maysilee."

"Well, what do you expect, Mazy? I am who I am." I replied, chuckling. She joined in my laughter as we just laid there. The meadow. The peaceful piece of land that has grown to becoming our illegal getaway. I taught her various ways to outsmart the electric fence while she, in return, teaches me about various herbs and medicines that could one day prove to be useful.

"Well…Are you here for a reason?" I heard myself say. She rolled her eyes at me as she crossed her arms.

"You're not getting your presents till you learn some manners." She said firmly as she waited patiently. I sighed.

"Fine… Can I pleeeaassee have my present now?" I replied.

"May." She corrected.

"Maaaay I pleeeaaase have my present now?" I said, exaggeratedly.

She grinned as she took out a tiny box. A tiny, red, floppy ribbon lay on top of the miniscule present. I gently took it from her fingers and unwrapped it gingerly. I opened the box with great care to see sitting in the box was a tiny bracelet. Beads of different shapes, colors and sizes were arranged carefully on a piece of black rope.

"I know it's not much but it was all I could get for now." She explained as she looked off into the greenery. I wrapped the bracelet around my wrist securely and studied it quizzically.

"So…Do you like it?" she asked expectantly. Her green eyes staring intensely into mine. She crossed her fingers together, hoping I would say yes. To answer her question, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. I squeezed her tight to show my gratefulness. In my arms, she whispered,

"Happy 14th birthday, Haymitch."

"Thanks." I replied. We stayed like that for a while…

"Umm… Haymitch? A little too…tight?" she mumbled. I released her and started laughing so hard. She joined me. It was one of those moments that could last a life time.

I stared at the ceiling. Time slowed down. The ticking of the clock made me twitch each time. Tick, tock, tick, tock… A million thoughts rushed in and out of my mind. What's going to happen today? Will I be that lucky? Will I? Tick, tock, tick, tock… Then the time I dreaded rolled into the bedroom. Light streamed in, illuminating the dull room I call my own. I heard the pitter patter of the floor below me. They're up. It's a new day. It's the new day. I slowly brought myself to sit up on my bed. I placed one foot, then the other. I pushed myself onto my feet. I did not know what happened next. I guess I just stayed there… Facing the wall… Not knowing what to do. Every year… Every year the same emotion courses through my veins. Dread. This year's game was twice as ruthless as a normal one. The Quarter Quell. The second Quarter Quell. Where a sickening twist torments the citizens of the districts. Where instead of two tributes... It would be four... Twice the fun... Twice the dying... A knock echoed throughout the room. The door creaked open.

"Haymitch?" a woman's voice asked.

"Mom." I whispered in reply, my eyes downcast. I could hear her footsteps walking towards me. She placed both her arms around me and tucked me in for an embrace. Her silky blonde hair was tucked into a bun and an apron fluttered around her waist. Even though I was taller than her, she could reach me just fine.

"Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay." She lulled as she caressed my hair. I stay frozen, frozen as a statue.

"It's not about me I'm worrying about. It's about you...and Jake. I don't know how you'll survive without me if I get picked...since dad...was..." I stopped. My mom hated that subject. My dad. He's gone. No one knew why. He just vanished...into thin air. Right before he disappeared, he had Jake...my little brother.

"We'll do fine... We'll do fine." she comforted as she stroked my hair. We stayed there for a while, staying in our embrace. I wanted it to last forever but fate hadn't planned it that way. She pulled away gently. She cupped her face in my hands.

"Whatever happens, even if you get picked, there would be a family waiting for you to return." she said. I squeezed her hand as she gingerly released herself from my grip and headed for the door. As the door closed, I was pushed back into reality. I commanded my feet to take me to the closet and they obeyed. I took out a pair of black pants and a button-down, white, long-sleeved top. I put on the clothes I picked and gelled down my hair. I rushed down the stairs to start the day. I was welcomed by the smell of stale soup and bread. And waiting for me there was a rosy-cheeked, bubbling, blonde haired young boy who knew nothing of suffering and death...and I intended to keep it that way. He smiled, cheek to cheek as I sat beside him. Pieces of bread were still stuck onto his teeth. I grinned at him as mom handed me a bowl of soup together with pieces of bread.

"Good morning, Haymitch!" he greeted cheerfully.

"Why, Good morning to you sir!" I joked as I saluted him. He chuckled as he stuffed his last piece of bread into his tiny mouth. He gobbled it down. When his fingers reached for another, his hands found none. He stared at the plate, disappointed. I slipped him a piece of my bread under the table. He giggled as he rapidly stuffed it into his mouth once more. I smiled as I slurped down my soup.

"Haymitch! Today is a big day!" he said as he tapped my shoulder a billion times.

"Oh yeah..." I played along.

"It's where all those people with the names picked out of the bowl go to the special place and act in a show!" he replied. It was all a lie, I know... We made it up as he watches the games every year.

"Yes..." I exclaimed as I licked my bowl clean. I fixed the little tie he fixed on and wiped away the crumbs. I stood up and gave the dishes for my mom to wash. We don't have much. I live in the Seams you see. But we make do. After a few minutes we were ready to leave for the ceremony. As I stare at the door, holding my brother's hand, I thought to myself;

"This is it. Today is it. Today is the reaping. My fourth reaping."


End file.
